Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, opened the "Armenia–United Kingdom Business Forum 2026," which is being held in Yerevan for the first time.
The Prime Minister Pashinyan delivered a speech and welcomed the attendees, emphasizing that holding the forum is a logical step following the signing of the memorandum establishing a strategic partnership between Armenia and the United Kingdom this May: "After establishing such a partnership, the primary question that arises for governments is: how do we turn that political will, expressed through adopted documents, into reality? And the most effective way to solve this problem is to make the political substance discussed between governments a part of everyday life. Conferences like this serve precisely that purpose: to fill the space opened up by governments with real life''.
Turning to the economy and business, Nikol Pashinyan noted that experience shows that individuals unconstrained by the specific scope of governmental or other official duties are better at identifying opportunities and prospects. In this context, the country's leader expressed hope that the ideas raised during the conference discussions would advance to the next stage of development and materialize into concrete agreements.
''Overall, it is evident that the Republic of Armenia and our region are undergoing a transformation linked to the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the developments stemming from it. We are currently working on a daily basis to launch the implementation of the TRIPP project on the ground—an initiative that will undoubtedly serve as a cornerstone for transforming the economic landscape not only of the Republic of Armenia but of the entire region. It is already the case, as we are currently witnessing a certain level of investment-related activity surrounding Armenia; it is clear that this project will, in turn, generate new projects, and the investment appeal of Armenia and our region will strengthen," the Prime Minister said, adding that in the near future, alongside developments in the TRIPP project, the opening of the Armenia-Türkiye border is expected, as well as the opening of railway connections between Armenia and Azerbaijan and between Armenia and Türkiye.
Nikol Pashinyan also addressed the establishment of a railway link between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea, the implementation of the North-South road project, and the opening of East-West roads running parallel to the railway: "What I am describing is precisely what the Government of the Republic of Armenia has approved within the framework of the 'Crossroads of Peace' project. Alongside all these transport links, opportunities for constructing oil and gas pipelines are, of course, already being considered and discussed, and we are also holding concrete discussions regarding power transmission lines."
According to the Prime Minister, all this means that Armenia and the United Kingdom are drawing closer in terms of transport connectivity, and the time is right to discuss the opportunities that can be utilized. Nikol Pashinyan noted that any economic development leads to further economic development. "The most successful countries are those where economic growth is continuous and consistent. Over the past five years, we planned to achieve an average economic growth of 7% in Armenia, and we actually achieved an average of 7.9%. In other words, each 7.9% builds upon the 7.9% growth of the previous year. Overall, Armenia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2025 grew by approximately 53% compared to 2018, even accounting for the year of the COVID-induced global downturn. We have planned for an average annual economic growth of 6% over the next five years. We also have a number of strategic directions in place. I have already mentioned one of those strategic directions—the opening of regional transport links—but I also wish to draw attention to the developments taking place in Armenia's renewable energy sector. Specifically, over the next five years, we plan not only to maintain the current pace of renewable energy expansion but also to make renewable energy institutionally more reliable for our economy and the state," the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister noted that the "Crossroads of Peace" represents the Government's strategic vision for the Republic of Armenia. Against the backdrop of growing business interest in Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the importance of increasing tourist inflows to the country. According to Pashinyan, significant developments have also been recorded in the field of artificial intelligence over the past year.
In his concluding remarks, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the outcomes of the conference will soon translate into economic results, creating opportunities to rejoice those achievements.
The "Armenia-UK Business Forum 2026" was organized by the Oxford Alumni Business Club of Armenia (OABCA) in cooperation with the Government of Armenia, "Enterprise Armenia," and the British-Armenian Chamber of Commerce (BACC). The conference brought together around 2,000 participants on a single platform, including representatives from the Government of Armenia, the Central Bank, international financial and development institutions, the British diplomatic mission, leading companies, and educational and scientific institutions. Discussions during the conference focused on access to capital, attracting investment, and opportunities for entering new markets. Particular attention was paid to practical mechanisms for investment and international financing in Armenia.
source: commonspace.eu with the press service of the prime minister of Armenia, Yerevan
